Method and apparatus for transmitting wireless local area network data

Abstract

A method comprises constructing, by an access point (AP), a radio frame within a scheduling window, the radio frame including at least a preamble part compatible with an existing IEEE 802.11 preamble legacy preamble, a preamble part used in a next-generation IEEE 802.11 standard (HEW preamble), and the first downlink subframe (DL subframe); sending the Legacy preamble, the HEW preamble and the first DL subframe in the radio frame; receiving at least one uplink subframe (UL subframe) located after the first DL subframe; wherein each of the at least one UL subframes is triggered by one DL subframe located before the UL subframe.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for transmitting wireless local area network (WLAN) data, the apparatus comprising:
 a non-transitory memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the processor-executable instructions to facilitate: 
 within a scheduling window, sending a downlink (DL) part, wherein the DL part includes a first preamble, a second preamble, and a DL multi-user (MU) part, wherein the DL part is configured to trigger transmission of an uplink (UL) part; and 
 within the scheduling window, after sending the DL part, receiving the UL part, wherein the UL part includes a third preamble, a fourth preamble and an UL MU part; 
 wherein the UL MU part includes:
 ACK information for the DL part; and 
 UL data; 
 
 wherein a media access control (MAC) header of the UL part includes a duration which indicates a time length of a current transmit opportunity (TXOP) for a non-destination station (STA) setting a network allocation vector (NAV) and protecting the UL part, and wherein the current TXOP is within the scheduling window. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the UL part comprises multiple UL subframes, wherein the multiple UL subframes comprise a UL subframe carrying the ACK information and another UL subframe for sending the UL data. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a first DL subframe sent within the scheduling window includes: the first preamble, the second preamble and a DL MU subframe, and wherein a first UL subframe received within the scheduling window includes: the third preamble, the fourth preamble and an UL MU subframe. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein a non-first UL subframe or a non-first DL subframe includes a training sequence compatible with a next-generation standard, does not include the first preamble, and does not include other subframes of the second preamble except the training sequence compatible with the next-generation standard. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first preamble of the DL part and the third preamble of the UL part comprise a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long training field (L-LTF), and a legacy-signaling field (L-SIG); and
 wherein the second preamble of the DL part and the fourth preamble of the UL part correspond to a next-generation standard. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a DL subframe of the DL part carries information of a resource allocation indicator of a subsequent UL subframe of the UL part; and
 wherein each DL subframe of the DL part sent within the scheduling window includes data to multiple stations (STAs) in respective radio resource blocks, and wherein each UL subframe of the UL part received within the scheduling window includes data of multiple STAs in respective resource blocks indicated by the information of the resource allocation indicator to be sent to the apparatus. 
 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for transmitting wireless local area network (WLAN) data, the apparatus comprising:
 a non-transitory memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and 
 one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the processor-executable instructions to facilitate: 
 within a scheduling window, receiving a downlink (DL) part, wherein the DL part includes a first preamble, a second preamble, and a DL multi-user (MU) part, and wherein the DL part triggers transmission of an uplink (UL) part; and 
 within the scheduling window, after receiving the DL part, sending the UL part triggered by the DL part, wherein the UL part includes a third preamble, a fourth preamble and an UL MU part; 
 wherein the UL MU part includes:
 ACK information for the DL part; and 
 UL data; 
 
 wherein a media access control (MAC) header of the UL part includes a duration which indicates a time length of a current transmit opportunity (TXOP) for a non-destination station (STA) setting a network allocation vector (NAV) and protecting the UL part, and wherein the current TXOP is within the scheduling window. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the UL part comprises multiple UL subframes, wherein the multiple UL subframes comprise a UL subframe carrying the ACK information and another UL subframe for sending the UL data. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a first DL subframe received within the scheduling window includes: the first preamble, the second preamble and a DL MU subframe, and wherein a first UL subframe sent within the scheduling window includes: the third preamble, the fourth preamble and an UL MU subframe. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein a non-first UL subframe or a non-first DL subframe includes a training sequence compatible with a next-generation standard, does not include the first preamble, and does not include other subframes of the second preamble except the training sequence compatible with the next-generation standard. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the first preamble of the DL part and the third preamble of the UL part comprise a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long training field (L-LTF), and a legacy-signaling field (L-SIG); and
 wherein the second preamble of the DL part and the fourth preamble of the UL part correspond to a next-generation standard. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a DL subframe of the DL part carries information of a resource allocation indicator for a subsequent UL subframe of the UL part; and
 wherein each DL subframe of the DL part received within the scheduling window includes data to multiple stations (STAs) in respective radio resource blocks, and wherein each UL subframe of the UL part sent within the scheduling window includes data of multiple STAs in respective resource blocks indicated by the information of the resource allocation indicator. 
 
     
     
       13. A method for transmitting wireless local area network (WLAN) data, wherein the method comprises:
 within a scheduling window, sending, by an access point, a downlink (DL) part, wherein the DL part includes a first preamble, a second preamble, and a DL multi-user (MU) part, and wherein the DL part is configured to trigger transmission of an uplink (UL) part; and 
 within the scheduling window, after sending the DL part, receiving, by the access point, the UL part, wherein the UL part includes a third preamble, a fourth preamble and an UL MU part; 
 wherein the UL MU part includes:
 ACK information for the DL part; and 
 UL data; 
 
 wherein a DL subframe of the DL part carries information of a resource allocation indicator for a subsequent UL subframe of the UL part; and 
 wherein a media access control (MAC) header of the UL part includes a duration which indicates a time length of a current transmit opportunity (TXOP) for a non-destination station (STA) setting a network allocation vector (NAV) and protecting the UL part, and wherein the current TXOP is within the scheduling window. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the UL part comprises multiple UL subframes, wherein the multiple UL subframes comprise a UL subframe carrying the ACK information and another UL subframe for sending the UL data. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein a first DL subframe sent within the scheduling window includes: the first preamble, a second preamble and a DL MU subframe, and wherein a first UL subframe received within the scheduling window includes:
 the third preamble, the fourth preamble and an UL MU subframe. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each DL subframe of the DL part sent within the scheduling window includes data to multiple stations (STAs) in respective radio resource blocks, and wherein each UL subframe of the UL part received within the scheduling window includes data of multiple STAs in respective resource blocks indicated by the information of the resource allocation indicator to be sent to the access point. 
     
     
       17. A method for transmitting wireless local area network (WLAN) data, on a station side, wherein the method comprises:
 within a scheduling window, receiving, by a station, a downlink (DL) part, wherein the DL part includes a first preamble, a second preamble, and a DL multi-user (MU) part, and wherein the DL part triggers transmission of an uplink (UL) part; and 
 within the scheduling window, after receiving the DL part, sending, by the station, the UL part triggered by the DL part, wherein the UL part includes a third preamble, a fourth preamble and an UL MU part; 
 wherein the UL MU part includes:
 ACK information for the DL part; and 
 UL data; 
 
 wherein a media access control (MAC) header of the UL part includes a duration which indicates a time length of a current transmit opportunity (TXOP) for a non-destination station setting a network allocation vector (NAV) and protecting the UL part, and wherein the current TXOP is within the scheduling window. 
 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the UL part comprises multiple UL subframes, wherein the multiple UL subframes comprise a UL subframe carrying the ACK information and another UL subframe for sending the UL data. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a first DL subframe received within the scheduling window includes: the first preamble, the second preamble and a DL MU subframe, and wherein a first UL subframe sent within the scheduling window includes: the third preamble, the fourth preamble and an UL MU subframe. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein a DL subframe of the DL part carries information of a resource allocation indicator for a subsequent UL subframe of the UL part; and
 wherein each DL subframe of the DL part received within the scheduling window includes data to multiple stations in respective radio resource blocks, and wherein each UL subframe of the UL part sent within the scheduling window includes data of multiple stations in respective resource blocks indicated by the information of the resource allocation indicator.